The Pentagon has set up 24-hour phone lines for people seeking information about family members in the Persian Gulf:

* Army 1-800-626-1440

* Air Force 1-800-253-9276

* Marines 1-800-523-2694

* Coast Guard 1-800-367-8724

* Navy (immediate family) 1-800-255-3808

* Navy (other relatives and friends) 1-800-732-1206

Callers must spell the service member's last name and should provide as much information as possible about rank, Social Security number and military unit. The phone numbers may often be busy. Members of the immediate family may send emergency messages through local Red Cross chapters.